Episode 7: Judaism, Interpretation, and the Nature of Scripture | Dr. Jon D. Levenson, Harvard University

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, I speak with Jon D. Levenson, the Albert A. List Professor of Jewish Studies at Harvard and one of the most influential scholars of Jewish theology and the Hebrew Bible.Our conversation explores core features of Judaism that are often misunderstood and its emphasis on covenant, law, and lived practice; the central role of interpretation in texts like the Hebrew Bible and rabbinic tradition; and the way Jewish theology resists being reduced to a fixed set of doctrines. We also examine how Jewish and Christian traditions have historically diverged in their readings of shared texts, and what serious interreligious dialogue requires beyond surface-level tolerance.We also reflect on Dr. Levenson’s early academic work, his engagement with figures like Dante, and the role of scholarship in challenging inherited assumptions and clarifying what is actually at stake in theological disagreement.